Such A Cold Dish
by anonyreaderfan
Summary: "If you kill one Original vampire then their entire sire line will die off. That's thousands maybe tens of thousands of vampires." Quote from Elena Gilbert.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

Every Action Has A Reaction

~ _**Mystic Falls 10 Years Ago**_ ~

Kol's agonized scream rent the air as his body jerked and convulsed, limbs flailing helplessly like a puppet in the hands of an inexperienced puppeteer. Overcome by pain he dropped to the floor, body writhing in involuntary spasms as he burned.

The Gilbert siblings backed away from the fiery heap, breathing heavily. Feelings of relief and triumph battled against the horror of watching a living being burn to death.

Kol's older brother, face expressionless, stood frozen, watching; only his tear filled eyes betraying his grief.

Hours later, across the world, his first turned children weakened. Surprise was the overwhelming emotion as they felt their strength drain, leaving them feeble and nauseous. As the first generation died, the next one was overcome. It was a prolonged process working through the many layers of offspring leaving plenty of time for survivors to experience confusion and dread.

They were not a faceless group called 'thousands'. They were individuals . . people. People who lived and loved, felt joy and pain. People who like all other people wanted to live. Some were evil, some were good, but most were like us - a mixture of both.

Each one met their end according to the way they lived their undead lives. Some faced the wasting death stoically. Others pleaded to the God they knew would not welcome them, begging to be spared. Some were resigned, fearing only for their loved ones. Others died terrified, afraid of the true death.

Some died alone, tucked away, sheltered from the light. Some died in the arms of a friend or loved one.

The wasting death was indiscriminate, killing all of Kol's line. Good or bad . . it made no difference.

As the wasting disease moved down the family tree from sire to vampire offspring the fear amped up, spreading rapidly. Vampires panicked, scattered, going into hiding, hoping to save themselves. The deaths mysteriously stopped around sixteen hours after they started.

Wild rumors spread – contaminated blood, a virus, witchcraft, God's wrath. Gradually cooler heads prevailed and the facts were examined. The connection was made - All those who fell were from Kol's line.

Who knew how the real story eventually spread? Did it come from Klaus? Rebekah? Elijah? In the end it didn't matter. The truth spread like ripples on a pond, ever outward, ever wider. Kol had been deliberately slaughtered.

The doppelganger had done this. The doppelganger and her brother, reputed to be one of the five Hunters. Hunters were supposed to be a thing of legend, discounted as bogeymen designed to frighten young vampires. There was a quest involved and the Gilberts had sacrificed Kol for a chance for Elena to become human again.

The murmuring began. The resentment and anger grew.

Who were they to decide who lived and who died? Would they kill another Original? Was anyone safe from them?

Time passed.

They say revenge is a dish best served cold. There were many ready to dish it out.


	2. Chapter 2

Damon felt, in hindsight, that he should have realized sooner what was going on. The signs were there if they had just opened their eyes and paid attention.

Granted, they were distracted because the mess with Silas took so long to resolve. And then Caroline, desperate to find Tyler, took off without a word. They had heard nothing from her and if Liz did know where she was there was nothing they could cajole out of the carefully vervain stuffed and bracelet adorned sheriff. Their attention was focused on her for awhile until Stefan's departure absolutely shattered them.

Stefan, his hopes dashed once too often, totally disheartened, had left. Nothing a tearful, pleading Elena or a by turns bluff, taunting, and finally heartfelt thing Damon could say had the power to change his mind.

The fact that he left so beaten and sad visibly hurt Elena. Damon wore his scars on the inside and if on occasion he would stare off into the distance, a sad expression on his face, he would immediately sarcastically dismiss any attempts at sympathy. But he felt it. As much as he loved and desired Elena he had never wanted to see his little brother destroyed.

They stayed and perhaps overstayed in Mystic Falls for six more years, during which time they witnessed Bonnie and Jeremy's marriage. The two started a family while both were still in college but they were used to doing the impossible and they successfully raised their first born while finishing school.

Bonnie's father, now the official Mayor, was the one who stepped up and broke the news that they had to move on. Their unchanging looks, made more evident by their association with a prematurely aged Bonnie and Jeremy, were at first a source of congratulations, then a topic of idle speculation, and ultimately of suspicious sideways glances.

Jeremy's uncaring stoner and Bonnie's carefree high school days were long behind them. Stress had left permanent frown lines and crow's feet on Jeremy that shouldn't have begun to appear until much later in life. Bonnie's skin was unmarked but she had a gray streak in her dark hair. The biggest change was in her eyes. They had a maturity, a seriousness not usually associated with someone as young as her. There was a lack of trust in her, a distance she kept between herself and new acquaintances.

During all this time no vampires visited Mystic Falls. The town had previously been a regular stopping point in the endless vampire migratory patterns. Similar to the wildebeasts of the great plains of Africa vampires were mostly creatures of habit sticking to known routes. That in itself should have been a warning but the two remained blissfully ignorant, sometimes absentmindedly wondering why there were no vampire intrusions to fend off, but never really giving it their full attention. They drifted through life lacking the drive normal human aging provided.

They had stayed in Virginia close enough for Elena and her brother and his wife to make discreet visits to show off the children. They roamed from town to town, occasionally drifting across the borders into the surrounding states, neither one admitting to the other that the reason they were reluctant to leave was that they still secretly cherished the hope that Stefan would return.

Elena missed him for the way he grounded her, for his connection to humanity. Damon just wanted family. His brother was the only one who knew him when he was human and even though he didn't want that humanity back it still meant something to him that someone knew him when. Stefan was the one who understood him best. Someone that loved him unconditionally for what he was, not what he could be. And though he wouldn't admit it even to himself someone whose feeling were honest and true. Love him. Hate him. Stefan did both.

As much as he loved Elena he still had doubts about the veracity of her feelings for him. No matter how many times she told him she loved him and how many ways she tried to show him there was always that nagging doubt, that nasty little voice inside his head that whispered. _Is it the sire bond?_

Having his brother would ease the constant torment.

As they were forced to limit their contact with their friends and relatives in Mystic Falls they felt increasing isolated. Elena, in particular, was a social creature by nature but now after having lived through so much she found it hard to connect with high school or college age humans. They were focused on proms and career choices and neither had value in her eyes. Damon had never messed with the high school scene. He was too mature in looks for that and more importantly it held no interest for him. As a human he had experienced war and death. He couldn't even pretend to care about the self absorbed interests of the average teenager.

The fact that they never accidentally bumped into another vampire in their travels should have triggered an alarm.

Elena craved some type of society so when Damon suggested they go have a cup of coffee at Slater's coffeehouse in Richmond and mingle with vampire society she was excited.

"So who runs the place now?" She asked.

Damon glanced over at her smiling excited face and grinned in return. "Last thing I heard and it was a long time ago, it was that ditzy girlfriend of his, Alice. He actually had a will and left it to her. She finally got herself turned a year later by her new boyfriend."

Elena smiled and shook herself. "Alice was something else."

Damon pulled into the garage adjacent to the coffee shop. They went in by the back door, carefully designed to allow the chosen clientele to enter without exposure to the sun. The specially treated UV blocking windows smashed by Elijah had long since been repaired and reinforced with steel bands to prevent any more 'accidents'.

Damon's spirits lifted as soon as he walked into the bustling coffee shop. The chatter was loud as friends talked and drank coffee. The sun light shone brightly through the floor to ceiling windows. The sight of the reinforced metallic strands in the panes brought a reflective smirk to Damon's face followed by a brief shadow passing over his face as the remembrance of that day inevitably brought back memories of Rose. He allowed himself a moment of regret before pushing it out of his mind, determined to enjoy the moment.

"Hey Alice!" A big smile crossed his face as he hailed the slender perky owner standing behind the counter.

She responded with a tentative smile as she recognized him. Elena stepped out from behind Damon and smiled widely. "Hey, remember me?"

Her cheerful smile was replaced by confusion at Alice's reaction.

The vampire's expression changed to one of revulsion as she spat. "You're not welcome here."

Damon's head swiveled back and forth between the two girls like he was a spectator at a tennis match.

"What? What's wrong?" Elena was sincerely puzzled.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked. "How bout you killed an Original and my boyfriend was from his line? How bout you were responsible for him dying?"

Elena's hand went to her mouth. "Oohhh. I'm so sorry. I didn't . . "

"You didn't what?" Alice hammered her. "Didn't know that when you killed an Original their entire line died? That's not what I heard. I heard you knew exactly what you were doing. And I wasn't the only one to lose someone. Others here lost friends too."

Elena's eyes were focused on the angry vampire but Damon allowed his eyes to soften and roam and what he saw with his peripheral vision alarmed him. All eyes were fixed on them and not only were there none that were friendly, there were some that were actively hostile.

"I'm .m. m sorry." Elena stammered out.

"Oh! You're sorry. Well I guess that makes it okay then." Sarcasm dripped off Alice's tongue.

Damon, seeing a vampire half rise from his seat, ended the conversation by grabbing Elena by the arm and moving towards the door. "Well, guess we'll be going now."

"Murderer."

Elena turned trying to see who had accused her but she was met with a wall of stony silence. Damon continued to pull her out.

As they walked out, the room so quiet they could hear their footsteps, they registered the various expressions on the faces turned toward them; eyes narrowed in contempt, open hostility, disgust. A blonde girl, sitting by their exit aisle tucked her short skirt under her so they wouldn't brush it as they walked by.

Elena, rather hysterically thought. _This is how lepers must have felt in ancient times!_

They ended up edging out almost back to back in a defensive posture.

That was just their first taste of how the vampire world viewed her.

It was the same everywhere they went. As soon as Elena was recognized they were shunned and sometimes actively threatened.

They learned to avoid vampire society. Almost everyone knew someone who had died as a result of Kol's death and if they didn't then they had friends who did.

They were resigned to living apart until the resentment died down. Elena never forgave herself for downplaying the sentiment against her. She knew what it was to lose loved ones. How could she fail to realize how others felt? That failure would cost her dearly.


	3. Chapter 3

Jeremy did something different that morning.

And Bonnie was forever grateful.

Like so many other days Bonnie packed up their three small children, Jeremy helping. They were always careful to tell each other they loved one another both at the end of the day and before they parted in the morning. They had been through too much to take anything for granted.

But this day he stopped her before she got in the car and pulled her into his arms. "You do know you are the love of my life, don't you?"

She laughed and replied archly. "Why, of course I am Mister Gilbert."

But he didn't respond in kind, just kissed her deeply and then opened the back door and kissed each one of the kids in their car seats again.

He closed the car door and said. "My life would mean nothing without you."

She parted her lips to ask him if anything was wrong but he just turned and walked back to the house. She watched his back for a moment before getting in the driver seat and buckling her seat belt.

She always remembered him standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, smiling as he saluted her with his cup of coffee.

She blew him a kiss as she backed the car out of the driveway and he laughed and pretended to catch it.

The memory would stay with her forever.

The three children were content in the back in their car seats and she shook off the momentary feeling that something was amiss. It was a bright, beautiful, sunny day and what could possibly be wrong?

She only gave her cell phone half her attention, watching Jeremy, Jr. the spitting image of his father, go through his gymnastic routine. She couldn't believe the words coming out of the phone. Eyes wide, she turned to look at the screen as if somehow the sight of the phone number would make the words she was hearing make sense.

"There's been a fire at your house. It was destroyed."

"Jeremy?" She asked, voice cracking.

"I'm sorry."

The phone dropped from her numb fingers.

_This cannot be happening. This cannot be real. Not now. Not after all we lived through. Not when we have a family. Not when we are so happy._

After that it was like she was swathed in cotton bunting. Like a veil was stretched between her and the rest of the world. A veil that mercifully numbed everything. She knew it was real. Knew that she spoke and reacted and did things but it was all far away, removed from her.

Her father was informed, of course, and arrived shortly after the call. The mayor in a small town like Mystic Falls was kept abreast of all happenings.

The other young mothers in her group banded together and took over the care of her children. Bonnie looked at her father who walked her aside.

"I'll call his sister."

"The children." Those two words expressed her uppermost fears.

Her father understood her concern. "I called Lucy. She'll be here in an hour. Abby's on her way also."

"I'll dri . . " His offer was curtly cut off.

"No. Stay with the children. Protect them." Bonnie's voice softened. "Thanks Dad. I appreciate the offer but I can take care of myself."

He nodded solemnly acknowledging the truth of her words. He felt compelled to add. "I'm so sorry."

Her face felt frozen, like it would crack if it moved, and she refused to let me mind accept what she was hearing.

"Thank you." She said formally. She knew she would break if she allowed emotion in and she wasn't going to let that happen. She wanted answers.

She drove to the burned out, still smoldering shell of the house and carefully walked around, ignoring the condolences of the local firefighters most of whom she had known her entire life. She pulled in the wind and searched the earth. She closed her eyes and used her power and she felt it. Felt the trail.

This was no gas explosion. No accident. This was witchcraft.


	4. Chapter 4

The white hot rage burned away the fog enveloping her. The trail was as easy to follow as a trail of breadcrumbs in a fairy tale; a fact which left Bonnie extremely suspicious.

She followed it to a destination that stunned her.

When Bonnie pulled into the driveway of Mrs. Flowers boarding house she sat a moment just reaching out with her senses. There was no doubt. The power was here.

As she slowly walked to the door it was opened by a smiling, welcoming Mrs. Flowers. "Oh. She said you'd be along any moment and here you are."

Bonnie's eyebrows rose but she only responded. "May I come in?"

"Please do." She beamed on Bonnie. "Come into my guest parlor. She's waiting."

Bonnie followed Mrs. Flowers along a hallway to the back of the house. Mrs. Flowers waved her in and bustled away. "I'll bring a fresh pot of tea."

Bonnie, on high alert, stepped cautiously into the sunny front room. Her attention was immediately fixed on a slim woman close to her Grams age, sitting erect in one of the overstuffed chairs favored by Mrs. Flowers. Her skin was café-au-lait and the tight curls covering her shapely head were an iron gray. She was dressed neatly in a tailored dress, her only adornment small gold earrings. The intelligent eyes surveyed her calmly.

Bonnie thought wildly. _That's how Grams used to dress when she was going to church._

The woman spoke first in a firm voice. "I am the one you seek and you have every right to kill me. I ask only that you listen to me first."

"Why?" Bonnie's voice was bitter. "Why should I listen to you?"

The woman carefully put down the tea cup she was drinking from and steepled her hands together. "For your children's sake."

As Bonnie's hair stirred in the breeze and power crackled around her the woman quickly made a placating gesture. "I did not come here to threaten your children."

The old woman sighed and spoke quietly. "I, of all people, would never do that."

Mrs. Flowers came back just then with a laden tray. "I brought fresh tea."

"Oh please, Bonnie, sit." Mrs. Flowers seemed distressed that Bonnie was still standing. Bonnie edged over to a chair and sat by feel, never taking her eyes off the woman. Mrs. Flowers poured a cup of steaming tea. "Cream? Sugar?"

"Nothing, thank you." Bonnie managed a weak smile.

Mrs. Flowers handed her the cup of black tea. A sense of unreality swept over Bonnie; her husband was dead and she was drinking tea with his killer.

"Well, I'll just leave you two alone now." Mrs. Flowers left just as Bonnie felt she was on the edge of screaming with frustration.

Bonnie quickly put the cup of tea aside and ordered. "Talk. And then I kill you."

The woman nodded. "Fair enough."

She stared off into the distance for a moment as if reliving something and then brought her attention back to the present. She fixed her eyes on the china teapot and spoke in a gentle melodious voice.

"My husband died young. We had one child. A girl but she was the spitting image of him. I loved her so much, even more so after I lost him. Loving her was the only thing that made me keep on going. When she was fifteen she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. She was one of the unlucky ones. I took her to every cancer center in America. I even took her to people I knew were quacks but I just couldn't overlook anything that gave me hope. Nothing worked. The doctors were kind but they told me to prepare myself."

She shook her head, her eyes were looking inward. Bonnie knew she wasn't in the present. She was seeing the past.

"I was a strong witch. Knowledgeable. But only good magic. I went to all my witch friends, even outside my own coven. We could relieve her pain but we couldn't stop it from spreading."

She looked at Bonnie now. "I couldn't lose her. No mother should have to watch her child die."

Bonnie looked away from the raw emotion on her face.

The woman visibly composed herself. "We witches don't have much to do with vampires. They're nothing but trouble but I had helped one. My friends told me to let my daughter go . . it was God's will but I couldn't. I called the vampire and begged her. She came, tried to talk me out of it, but I insisted and she did what I wanted. Turned my daughter. My coven turned me out but I didn't care. I still had my little girl. My Sissy."

Bonnie's stomach started to knot. She had a premonition where this was going.

"The vampire, Danica, told me the type of life my daughter could expect. She was a good person. Danica hadn't asked to be turned but she made the best of it that she could. She stayed and helped my daughter adjust."

The woman leaned forward now and her voice was emphatic. "Sissy was a good girl . . . a good person. She never killed anyone. Between Danica and me we helped her. She lived on animals and outdated blood bags. She never hurt anyone." She held Bonnie's eyes and repeated. "She never hurt anyone."

The woman straightened up again. "And then about eleven years ago Sissy was at my house and she said Mama something's wrong."

Her voice was raw with emotion but she stopped herself and gained control back. In a matter-of-fact voice she continued. "She died in my arms, a frightened child who didn't deserve to die."

She wrung her hands. "And once again I couldn't help her."

"It's a long story and you aren't interested how but I found out what happened. I found out it was the Gilberts and a Salvatore that were responsible for Sissy's death and Danica and thousands of others."

She looked defiantly at Bonnie. "I wanted justice for my child."

Bonnie face revealed nothing of her thoughts. "Why didn't you try to hide from me?"

The old woman spread her hands wide. "I never wanted to outlive my child. What do I care if I die? Do what you have to do. There's no one going to avenge me. I have nothing left to live for now. Plus I wanted to warn you. You have children to live for."

Bonnie lifted her chin, indicating the woman should continue.

"I'm not the only one who was hurt. Not the only one who wants justice for their loved one."

"Justice or revenge?" Bonnie asked.

The woman shrugged. "Does it really matter?"

Now it was Bonnie's turn to shrug. "I guess not."

She was silent for a moment, thinking. "You said it was the Gilberts and a Salvatore. Where did that come from?"

The woman shook her head. "Rumor has it came from the Originals. They knew."

"Am I a target? Anyone else from Mystic Falls?"

"No, but if you try to protect the sister you will be."

The woman, watching Bonnie's expression harden, seemed to read her thoughts.

"You're strong. Probably the strongest in a long line of strong witches, but you can't take on all those vampires." The woman cautioned. "You could die trying to protect your sister-in-law or worse yet you could put your children and the rest of your family in harm's way. And what about the rest of this town? Do they deserve to get caught in this mess? You have to make a choice."

The woman, having said what she came to say, folded her hands in her lap and waited quietly.

Bonnie sat motionless, eyes straight ahead.

She finally sighed and turned to the patiently waiting woman. "Where are the vampires?"

"They're gathering in Mosley." The old witch revealed. "Expect there'll be over fifty of them in another couple of days."

Bonnie's eyebrows rose. "How . ?"

"How are they not noticed?" The woman anticipated her question. "They are being extremely careful. Using blood bags, touching no humans. Even the bad ones are determined to see this through."

A little of Bonnie's despair leaked through her frozen mask of a face because the woman murmured. "Yes, that many. Vampires never get together in such numbers but they are united by their hatred."

Bonnie seemed to reach a decision. Her voice hardened. "I will let you live on these terms. Go to Mosley. Tell them if they dare to enter Mystic Falls I will burn them. This is my town . . my source of power and I don't care how many try to come . . . They . . . will . . . burn!"

The old woman and the young woman locked gazes.

"I know you can keep them out of this town but the sister and her boyfriend can't hide here forever and not all members of your family live in Mystic Falls."

Bonnie acknowledged her words. "I know. Things can't stay as they are but they will not enter my town."

The old woman searched the young witch's face and seemed to read something. She nodded and stood, only a slight stiffness betraying her age. She walked to the door and stopped. "You need to know he didn't suffer. He was dead before the flames touched him."

"Go."

Bonnie sat for a long time. Mrs. Flowers came to ask if she wanted more tea but seeing her preoccupation quietly turned and left her alone.

At last Bonnie sighed and cupped her face in her hands briefly before straightening up. She had always faced whatever was necessary and she wouldn't shirk what was to come. She had made up her mind and now she had to act.

She pulled out her cell phone and called numbers she had zealously guarded for years.


	5. Chapter 5

Elena and Damon showed up at the Mayor's house late that evening. Her father had told Bonnie to consider the house hers for as long as she needed.

Elena appeared calm at first. Bonnie suspected it was the calm before the storm.

"It's okay Damon. Bonnie can bring him back." Elena scolded Damon even as they entered the living room.

Damon shrugged his shoulders, his grimace betraying his frustration. Lucy and Abby stood wide eyed, shocked into silence by her obvious and to them painful denial. Bonnie straightened as all eyes turned to her, seeking a clue as to how to respond.

Abby spoke up. "I have to get going. I want to talk to your father." She quickly left, obviously relieved to be out of the coming conversation.

Lucy sat uncertainly on the sofa, eyes darting from one person to another.

Bonnie spoke gently, as if giving bad news to one of her children. "I can't Elena." She winced as she added. "His body was destroyed in the fire and there is no magic to bring him back from the other side."

Elena looked at her as if she were just being difficult. "Yes, you can Bonnie." She insisted. "You're strong enough. I know you can."

Damon tried to put his arms around her only to have them pushed away. Elena turned and vehemently persisted. "She CAN bring him back. I know she can."

"Stop looking at me like I'm crazy!" She shouted at him. "Bonnie can do it."

She turned to the witch, hands out, pleading. "Please Bonnie. Please . . bring him back."

Something finally penetrated Elena's consciousness. It might have been Bonnie's sad, defeated expression that ultimately got through to her.

Elena's face transformed in a blink of any eye to the utmost despair. "No – 0 0 0 ." She shrieked and fell to her knees. "Not Jeremy. Not Jeremy." She pulled her hair and moaned. "We did it to spare him. I only wanted to not have him kill twelve innocent people. I wanted to spare him the guilt. To get Klaus off his back."

She continued to cry and babble. "It's all my fault. Everything I do turns out wrong. Always my fault. No . NO .NO!"

Bonnie and Damon exchanged helpless glances, unsure what to do.

Damon finally came up with. "I'll make her turn it off. Turn off her feelings."

"Is that wise?" Bonnie was doubtful.

"It's what defines her." Damon said. "Guilt. She has to turn it off."

"No, it's not."

They both turned to see the source of that comment. They were stunned to see a motionless, calm Elena, on her knees, looking intently at something. They followed the direction of her gaze and saw tiny pajama clad Jeremy, Jr. watching Elena, one hand dragging a brown bear always left at Gramp's house for sleepovers. His hair was sleep tousled and he was frowning at Elena, clearly not understanding the noise that woke him up.

He rubbed a half closed eye with his fist. "You okay auntie?"

"Yes, Jeremy. I'm fine." Elena quietly explained. "I'm just practicing for a play like your sister did for kindergarten."

"Kay." Jeremy said.

"Go back to bed now. Aunt Lucy will take you." Elena calmly directed.

"Lucy." She had to prod a stunned Lucy to act. Lucy started and quickly walked over and picked up Jeremy, Jr. and carried him upstairs.

Elena, under the stunned eyes of the rest of the group, stood up, and straightened her clothes and wiped her eyes.

"What defines me is protecting those I love." Elena affirmed. "Yes, guilt is a big part but first and foremost I will protect those I love."

She looked away and murmured under her breath. "I will not let them be harmed for my mistakes Jer."

Bonnie sighed with relief and hung her head.

It took Damon a moment to react and then he was angry. "You will not sacrifice yourself."

"It's not just her." Bonnie softly interrupted. When both of them looked at her in surprise she explained. "The Originals or one of the Originals implicated a Salvatore."

Damon frowned, irritated. "Let me guess who, . . ah . . . how about . . Klaus." He said bitterly. He quickly moved past his disgust and got to the point. "So we go on the run. Katherine did it for five hundred years. So can we."

"No." Elena insisted. "They hit here once. If we try to run they may go after Bonnie or the kids or Mystic Falls. I don't want anyone else paying for my mistakes."

Damon turned to Bonnie. "You can stop them, can't you?"

Bonnie's expression was neutral. "I can hold my own in Mystic Falls, but only in Mystic Falls."

Elena quizzed her. "And what about the rest of your family? Lucy? Your mother? They can't stay in Mystic Falls forever and neither can your father or you or the kids."

Bonnie simply nodded.

"Do you know where they are?" Elena asked.

Bonnie nodded again. "I do."

Elena turned to Damon. "Then I'll go. I'll explain that it was Jeremy and me. That you had nothing to do with it. You'll be out of this mess."

Bonnie and Damon spoke together. "No way will I let you go by yourself." "They're too angry. They won't listen to you."

Bonnie and Damon exchanged looks and then Damon said. "If you go and I think it's a big mistake then I go with you."

"I don't want you to." As Damon started to speak Elena quickly overruled over him. "I am okay with facing up to what I've done. I'm not okay with you paying for my choices. Please . . do this for me . . stay out of this."

"Not a chance." Damon walked away to pour himself a glass of liquor.

Bonnie sat on the sofa and shaded her face with her hand. "I called Caroline. She's going to try to bring one of the Originals to tell them to leave you alone."

Damon, stunned, looked up mid pour and swore as the liquor missed the cup and dribbled over the side and onto his shoe. "I thought no one knew where she was."

"I've always known." Bonnie said, ignoring the reproachful look Elena shot at her. "They'll meet you late tomorrow night."

Damon smiled broadly. "See, there's always an out. I knew it!" He cheerfully poured himself a full glass and downed it.

They spoke for awhile longer and then Damon went to the car as Elena hung back to ostensibly say goodbye to Lucy. She put her lips to Bonnie's ear. "I don't believe it."

Bonnie kissed her forehead. "I got you what's most important to you. It's the best I could do."

Elena started to ask more questions but Bonnie put a finger to her lips and jerked her head in Damon's direction.

Elena nodded and Bonnie pulled her into a tight hug. Tears filled her eyes as she said. "Goodbye my sister."

They stood, arms around each other, just looking until Damon's shout broke them apart. "Get a move on."

Elena swiveled in the car seat, watching Bonnie's upright figure standing in the doorway until they turned the corner and she was no longer visible.


	6. Chapter 6

Damon and Elena cautiously entered the abandoned house where they were to meet Caroline and one of the Originals.

Elena had argued ferociously against what she considered a dubious plan. "No way can they get us out of this! An Original may get the crowd to back down for now but it won't stop everyone. I want you out of this."

Damon had insisted on trying. "An Original can turn the tide. We can do this Elena."

So now they were here, facing a solemn Caroline and Tyler. "Hey." Caroline said softly.

"What gives? Why is Tyler here? I thou . . " Damon was interrupted by the weight of a hand bearing down on his shoulder. Startled he half turned to catch a quick glimpse of his brother's face and hear. "Hello brother." Then everything went black.

Elena stood frozen, stunned by the quick turn of events. Her gaze traveled from her old Mystic Falls school mates to the crumpled body on the floor and finally to Stefan's familiar somehow comforting face.

Various emotions chased each other across her face as she processed what she was seeing. Caroline's stricken expression told her the truth.

"There is no Original coming to the rescue, is there?" Elena didn't appear disturbed by the probable outcome.

Stefan shrugged, not bothering to confirm the obvious, and spoke over his shoulder to the other two. "Get him out of here and as far away as you can. Put the note I gave you in his pocket. Break his neck again when he starts to come round and keep doing it til you get him out of the country. Then head for the hills."

"Think he's gonna be a little mad?" Tyler tried for a joke.

"Stay out of his way for at least twenty years." Stefan spoke without taking his eyes from Elena. Her gaze never wavered from his as she spoke quietly. "Thanks guys."

"Elena." Caroline's face crumpled as she started to cry and she couldn't say anything else.

Elena walked over and shook her shoulders gently. "It's okay Caroline. I knew I wasn't going to get out of this. We did what we shouldn't have done."

When Caroline continued to sob Elena commanded. "Look at me."

Elena waited until Caroline finally got control and looked up, before saying. "The only thing I felt bad about was that Damon was going to pay for this with me." She smiled wryly and looked briefly back at Stefan. "I can pay my debt now and finally be at ease. My relatives . . those kids will be safe and that is everything to me."

She looked at Tyler staring at the floor and then back to Caroline. "Thank Bonnie for me. It really bothered me that Damon was going to die for my choice."

She spoke again but she didn't speak directly to Caroline. Her words might have been aimed at Stefan.

"To know that you hurt people is one of the most terrible burdens you can bear. Once I realized . . Once it really sunk in . . . To have to live shouldering that every day has been horrible. Living every day knowing what you've done . . . ." She let her voice trail away.

Caroline nodded and stiffened her spine, shooting her chin up.

Tyler stooped and hefted Damon up over his shoulder. Caroline kissed Elena on the forehead and then briefly gazed at Stefan. He must have felt her stare because he said. "We already said what had to be said Care. You've got a life to live. Go do it."

She dashed out, unable to speak.

Tyler walked over to Elena and touched his forehead to hers. They stayed in that pose for a moment before she whispered. "When you can talk to him again tell him I loved him. Loved him for what he was . . not what I thought he could be."

She felt his nod and then there was a cold, sharp breeze and he was gone.

Elena stood for a moment and then walked slowly around to confront Stefan. They looked at each other for a moment before she half smiled. "Oh Stefan." She shook her head ruefully. "Didn't we go through this for Jenna. You're always willing to sacrifice for me."

She paused and then said. "I have so many things I want to say."

He opened his mouth but she stopped him with a finger on his lips.

"I loved you both. I never wanted either one of you to pay for what I did but if it had to be one of you I'm glad you're here with me at the end."

She shrugged helplessly. "I'm not sure I'm saying this right. I don't want you to die but this all started with the two of us; just seems right that we should end it together."

Stefan smiled and said. "It's okay Elena. From the moment I met you . . got to know you . . this is how I planned to end it. To go when you went. I thought you would die of old age but . . "

Now her eyes filled and she said again. "Oh Stefan."

He shook his head at her. "Don't. It's more than time for me to go. And I feel the way you do. So many innocent lives I've taken. I see them all. I hear their pleas to live. Especially the children. The innocent children in that village. It's time I paid. I'm tired of living with the guilt."

He stopped for a moment. "This way my brother gets to start a new life and . . and . .and maybe not right away but eventually I think I'll see my mother and father again. And Lexi. And everyone else that's been important in my life."

Elena's eyes lit up with hope. "Mom . . Dad . . Jenna . . . . Jeremy."

For a moment she was radiant and then she trembled. "I don't mind going. I just want it to be quick."

He responded. "I have a plan."

She gave a strangled little laugh. "Oh my God! Not a Salvatore plan."

That forced a chuckle out of him. "Not very comforting I suppose. But I think it will work."

He walked over and got two stakes he dropped when he snapped his brother's neck. He put one in Elena's right hand. "We dash over and we attack. We stick people in the gut, as many as we can. Not to kill but to cause chaos. They're not people now . . . they're a mob. A modern day lynch party. They'll go crazy thinking that we're defiant . . not sorry. Someone will lose it and give us the death blow."

She looked hopeful. "This just might work."

He nodded and gestured for her to go first.

When they were outside he held out his left hand and she clasped it. "Together." He said calmly. "Together we pay our debt and go on to forgiveness.

"Together." She replied.

Their eyes met and with a sharp whoosh they raced to meet their fate.

~ X ~

Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters. And Righteousness Like an Everlasting Stream.

~ X ~

Let the Flames Roll Forth Because the Waters Will Quench Them.

~ X ~

Written in protest for all faceless, nameless people who die to fulfill an agenda they never knew existed.

~ FIN ~


End file.
